2nd polisci test

preamble of the constitution

us americans, to make this country better, establish fairness, insure peace, provide for us to defend ourselves, promote wellness, and secure liberty in this constituion for the usa. means that this document will do those things and reassure its intentions.

what branch is congress?

legislative

bicameral meaning

two houses! in congress they are the house of representatives and the senate.

how is a states representation in congress determined?

population.

house qualifications

must be at least 25 years old, must be a citizen for 7 years, and must live in the state they represent.

congress qualifications

must be at least 30 years old, must be a citizen for 9 years, must live in the state they represent.

senate term

6 years.

house term

2 years

powers of congress

electoral college, voting on bills, declaring war

vp of the senate, what do they do?

the vp, breaks ties

who impeaches (accuses) the president?

the house writes the articles of impeachment!

who is the jury for impeachment trials?

the senate

congress immunities

can’t get arrested during session unless they commit treason, a felony, or a breach of the peace.

where do bills for raising revenue originate?

in the house!

how can congress override a presidential veto?

2/3 of each house must agree.

powers denied to congress?

bills of attainder (congress can’t pass a law that singles out a group of people without trial), ex post facto laws (congress can’t make something illegal and change the punishment after it happened), titles of nobility, suspension of habeas corpus

who is speaker right now?

mike johnson

who is majority (floor) leader right now? (house)

steve scalise

who is minority leader right now? (house)

hakeem jefferies

who is majority whip right now? (house)

tom emmer

who is minority whip right now? (house)

katherine clark

who is president pro tempore right now?

chuck grassley

who is majority leader right now? (senate)

john thune

who is minority leader right now? (senate)

chuck schumer

who is majority whip right now? (senate)

john barrasso

who is minority whip right now? (senate)

richard durbig

what does the speaker do?

head of house, runs the whole house, only job in the constitution (other than senate president), assigns people to committees

what does majority/minority leader do?

represents voice of party on the floor, tires to get party’s legislation passed

what does whip do?

counts votes

what does president pro tempore do?

longest serving member of the senate in the majority party. stands in for vp when he is needed in the senate and is absent.

what is congress’s job?

translating the public will into public policy in the form of law.

session

a period each year where congress assembles and conducts business

special session

only president can call this

partisans

belive that they oew their first alliegiance to their political party.

trustees

believe that each question they face must be decided on its merits.

committee members

congress members screen bills as committee members

constitution year

1787

how many people per district?

750,000

special powers of the house

all tax bills must start in the house, house writes articles of impeachment, if no candidate receives votes in the electoral college the house selects the president.

special powers of the senate

approves all treaties, approves all presidential appointments, acts as the jury in an impeachment trial, if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the electoral college, senate selects the vice president.

expressed powers of congress

coin and borrow money, raise and collect taxes, regulate commerce, can declare war, write federal legislation and set up courts

who are our senators?

kirsten gilibrand, chuck schumer

who is the dobbs ferry rep?

george latimer